I have 3 sons age 7, 5, 2.5 my youngest one is a very difficult child he acts like those kids on TV.
He has excessive mood swings, one of them is he cry’s about everything nothing you do is wright if i say cry i mean for ours non-stop. And then other times he is angry about everything if you give him something he throws it and hits his brothers and you are not allowed touching him or anything.
And then the next day he is the cutest thing ever and smiles all the time.
Not one of my family members wants to look after him or nothing. i know for a fact he does not have autism i have tested for that even though i knew he did not have it.
My nurse gave him some natural medication that has serotonin in it and it seems to be helping a bit.
O and before i forget i have bipolar, so maybe he is just as crazy as his mom.
I await your reply

I am truly sorry for what your family has endured. I, too, have an extensive history in mental illness with my family. It is not easy and the last thing we all need is to feel guilty for the way we are treating the disorders with those closest to us. I thank God every day that he blessed people with the knowledge to create medications and other alternative forms of treatment for the various illnesses that my family faces. I have also had some negative experiences with professionals, but I’ve also had just as many positive experiences with professionals that have a heart for those with mental illnesses.

You say your attitude about drugging children comes from your experience helping people at American Family Rights Association. I am not familiar with that group, but I would encourage you to hear out those who do have children on medication. It doesn’t always have to be a negative situation.

Thank you for sharing your story and helping those who are in need. Sometimes we don’t realize how far our word spreads and what benefits or hindrances they may cause. I hope that my words are encouraging to others who are going through similar situations. Every trial in life can be used for good and to educate others. It sounds like that is exactly what you are doing with what you have been through.

Yes, unfortunately I have way too much experience with Bi-Polar. My wife has it, and it is severe. Her 3 sons from her previous marriage have developed similar conditions, one of whom was diagnosed as Schizophrenic.

She herself started having difficulties at 19 after the death of her father. Her oldest son developed his condition at college at the age of 21. Her middle son developed his condition at 15. He is the one whose behavior caused CPS to become destructively involved in my life.

Her youngest son is 25 now and he has some problems developing, but nothing like his mother and 2 brothers.

The children we have had together have been fine. The oldest of “ours” is 22.

So the answer to your questions are **sigh**, yes I have experience with mental illness in my family. Way too much of it.

The last time my wife went “off meds” again was 3 years ago.

At the Emergency Room, the County Social Worker, yet another cosmic feminist demanded to know what *I* did to make my wife this way.

**sigh**

I have had some really bad experiences with the “professionals”, their arrogant attitudes and politics.

Otherwise, my attitude about drugging children comes from my experience helping people at American Family Rights Association.

I must ask, have you ever encountered a child in your family with bipolar-like symptoms? I must assume that you have not by your responses toward medicating children. You say you have been highly involved for 25 years and that you are relating at the “consumer level” but I must inquire, are you also relating at the parent level? My husband was diagnosed at the age of 15 with bipolar disorder. It is a proven fact that this disorder is hereditary. My middle son began to show signs of early onset. He began to have hallucinations, severe rage, severe highs, severe depression. All of this in a matter of 1 day. These symptoms progressed for over 1 year leading to multiple attempts at suicide. He’s only 10. We explored the alternatives to medication because, like you, I thought I was never going to be “one of those parents.” (I work in the pharmaceutical business and see parents “doping their children” on a daily basis.) My son’s situation was not improving with any of the alternatives. The psychiatrist recommended Abilify. I was floored. All I knew was that I couldn’t allow my son to continue to feel the way he was feeling. If medication was going to help, so be it. My son went from a raging, depressed, on top of the world child who wanted to die to a child with even-keel emotional behaviors. He went from physically beating on his family and cutting his wrists to being able to discuss issues as a typical 10 year old.

I agree, not every child should be prescribed medication. However, please do not judge those who are. You do not know what their experience is or what they have tried.

As I stated before, I see over-medicated children every day. But I now realize that I am judging those parents. I do not know what is going on with that child. It is not my place to cast shame or blame on anyone – it is my place to educate. I would encourage you to not stereotype. You do not know each individual circumstance.
– Regards

I am merely relating HOW IT IS down here at the “consumer” level.

How does that become not having a “rational debate”?

I am an “old guy” and I have been highly involved in this for 25 years. I have NEVER SEEN a child that needed to be “medicated”.

I am willing to engage in a rational discussion on this topic, but after reading your two comments and visiting your website, I can see that rational discussion with you on this topic would be impossible. I know the risks of treating young children with powerful psychotropic medications and have written extensively on the topic. I also know the risks of not treating children with medication when they need it and have seen many children and their families who have benefited from such treatment. This is all I will say. I haven’t the time nor the inclination to engage in fruitless debate.

To the best of my knowledge, to this day the only one of the anti-psychotic drugs given to kids that have FDA approval is Methylphenidate (Ritalin). And even it is not recommended for children under 6 years old.

So far as I know, none of the other drugs are approved for use in children under the age of 18. Everything else is “off label” use.

I am sticking with my characterization of doping little kids as ABSURD. There’s nothing “complex” about it. We know what doping kids is about, and it’s NOT for their “safety”.

Leonard Henderson, co-founder
American Family Rights Association
“Until Every Child Comes Home” ©
“The Voice of America’s Families” ©